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A high-stakes hide-and-seek competition turns deadly in this dark thriller from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.
The challenge: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don’t get caught.
The prize: enough money to change everything.
Even though everyone is desperate to win—to seize their dream futures or escape their haunting pasts—Mack feels sure that she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she’s an expert at that.
It’s the reason she’s alive, and her family isn’t.
But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes this competition is more sinister than even she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive.
Fourteen competitors. Seven days. Everywhere to hide, but nowhere to run.
Come out, come out, wherever you are.
The challenge: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don’t get caught.
The prize: enough money to change everything.
Even though everyone is desperate to win—to seize their dream futures or escape their haunting pasts—Mack feels sure that she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she’s an expert at that.
It’s the reason she’s alive, and her family isn’t.
But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes this competition is more sinister than even she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive.
Fourteen competitors. Seven days. Everywhere to hide, but nowhere to run.
Come out, come out, wherever you are.
9 pages, Audible Audio
First published May 24, 2022
1236 people are currently reading
69004 people want to read
About the author
Kiersten White
64 books13.9k followersKiersten White is the #1 New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning, and critically acclaimed author of many books for readers of all ages, including the And I Darken trilogy, the Sinister Summer series, the Camelot Rising trilogy, Star Wars: Padawan, Hide, Mister Magic, and Lucy Undying. She also has a very large tortoise named Kimberly, which isn't relevant, but she wanted you to know.
Visit her online at kierstenwhite.com.
Visit her online at kierstenwhite.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,875 reviews
March 22, 2022
oof. this is a big miss for me. for so many reasons.
i dont want this to turn into a massive rant, so i will try to keep my disappointments brief.
all in all, not for me. maybe hard core horror fans might enjoy this, but i was not impressed.
thanks for the ARC, random house/del rey books.
↠ 2 stars
i dont want this to turn into a massive rant, so i will try to keep my disappointments brief.
- the direction the plot eventually goes in doesnt fit the tone the novel begins withbut i will say this - the opening prologue is a perfect first chapter. absolute perfection. so its really too bad the rest of the book falls so short of it.
- too many characters causing shallow backstories
- the constant and abrupt third person POV shifts disrupt the narrative
- the world-building and atmosphere is pretty weak
- suuuuch slow pacing
all in all, not for me. maybe hard core horror fans might enjoy this, but i was not impressed.
thanks for the ARC, random house/del rey books.
↠ 2 stars
July 8, 2025
One of my all-time favorite tropes are games, or competitions, so when I heard the synopsis for Kiersten White's Adult Debut, Hide, I instantly added it to my TBR.
In this story we follow fourteen contestants competing in a Hide-and-Seek contest at an abandoned amusement park.
Seemingly selected at random from some sort of need-based selection process, the fourteen individuals are complete strangers and come from locations scattered throughout the United States.
From the very start the contest is shrouded in mystery. The only things they really know are that it is hosted by a sporting goods company and the prize is $50,000.
We follow multiple different perspectives as the contest begins and a Hunger Games-type vibe falls over the narrative.
With two contestants getting caught and out of the game each day, the tension increasingly mounts. Additionally, it's not clear at all who, or what, the Seekers are.
The main individual we follow is a young woman named Mack, who has a very violent, traumatic past. As she sees it, her biggest gift is her ability to hide. She's been doing it her whole life.
The things Mack observes as she hides chill her to the bone. This game may be more dangerous than anyone initially anticipated.
It's taken me a long time to come to grips with how I feel about this book. I liked a couple things and I really disliked some things. Unfortunately, the bad override the good.
I'm disappointed, but I'm not mad.
The writing was a little wonky for me from the very start, but I was intrigued to see where it was going regardless.
There were so many perspectives and characters. Additionally, it jumped around a lot, it was hard to engage with any of the characters or what they were feeling. Mack, who was the person whose perspective you read from the most, didn't do it for me. I hated being in her head.
Also, there was a plot device used to help explain the background of the contest which generally I like, but here, the execution of it, I just felt like it was too convenient. I didn't enjoy it.
Further, I promise this is it for complaints, the horror aspects were kept too obscure. I wanted more. I liked the build and tension initially.
The not knowing was sort of like when you first started watching Lost and you knew something was in the jungle, but you could never tell what it is. I liked that, but eventually as you discover the truth behind the park, it could have gone deeper into those elements.
Overall, this was fine and I know some Readers will really enjoy it. I was expecting more, but even though this was a miss for me, I will continue to pick up anything White writes.
Thank you to the publisher, Del Rey Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity!
In this story we follow fourteen contestants competing in a Hide-and-Seek contest at an abandoned amusement park.
Seemingly selected at random from some sort of need-based selection process, the fourteen individuals are complete strangers and come from locations scattered throughout the United States.
From the very start the contest is shrouded in mystery. The only things they really know are that it is hosted by a sporting goods company and the prize is $50,000.
We follow multiple different perspectives as the contest begins and a Hunger Games-type vibe falls over the narrative.
With two contestants getting caught and out of the game each day, the tension increasingly mounts. Additionally, it's not clear at all who, or what, the Seekers are.
The main individual we follow is a young woman named Mack, who has a very violent, traumatic past. As she sees it, her biggest gift is her ability to hide. She's been doing it her whole life.
The things Mack observes as she hides chill her to the bone. This game may be more dangerous than anyone initially anticipated.
It's taken me a long time to come to grips with how I feel about this book. I liked a couple things and I really disliked some things. Unfortunately, the bad override the good.
I'm disappointed, but I'm not mad.
The writing was a little wonky for me from the very start, but I was intrigued to see where it was going regardless.
There were so many perspectives and characters. Additionally, it jumped around a lot, it was hard to engage with any of the characters or what they were feeling. Mack, who was the person whose perspective you read from the most, didn't do it for me. I hated being in her head.
Also, there was a plot device used to help explain the background of the contest which generally I like, but here, the execution of it, I just felt like it was too convenient. I didn't enjoy it.
Further, I promise this is it for complaints, the horror aspects were kept too obscure. I wanted more. I liked the build and tension initially.
The not knowing was sort of like when you first started watching Lost and you knew something was in the jungle, but you could never tell what it is. I liked that, but eventually as you discover the truth behind the park, it could have gone deeper into those elements.
Overall, this was fine and I know some Readers will really enjoy it. I was expecting more, but even though this was a miss for me, I will continue to pick up anything White writes.
Thank you to the publisher, Del Rey Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity!
May 24, 2022
NOW AVAILABLE!!!
and the finished copy has a MAP!
********************************
this book knew just how to get my attention:
✓ deadly high stakes competition set in an abandoned amusement park.
✓ innocent childhood game given a horror movie coating, sinisterizing the phrase "come out, come out, wherever you are..."
✓ large group of strangers dwindling down à la And Then There Were None.
✓ characters isolated from the real world, with all of its pesky rules and social niceties.
✓ survival of the scrappiest.
i was expecting a Battle Royale kind of story, and it wasn't until i had the ARC in my hot little hands that i learned this was a rework of the minotaur/labyrinth myth, an unexpected supernatural angle which forced me to recalibrate—and if i'm being honest—lower my expectations.
in a second unwelcome surprise, the ARC's "dear reader" letter (am i the only one who reads these?) proclaims the story to be: an of-the-moment, scarily precise diagnosis of class and privilege and generational wealth.
huh? i thought i was getting a mindless splatter-romp through an amusement park like FantasticLand, where—if there was any attempt at a social message it was buried beneath a heap of body parts.
let us leave unexamined what it says about me that i use competitive murder books as escapist entertainment. suffice it to say, i ride the subway into the city every day, which gives me a front-row seat to the decline of civilization along with some simmering fantasies about thinning out the human herd.
however, despite my apprehension about its supernatural foes and societal woes, i was completely won over. the social commentary wasn't too heavy-handed and was well-integrated into the architecture of the story, and the beastie proved just as good as a human adversary at satisfying my bloodthirsty little readersoul. it helped that—precision be damned—i just pictured the red bull from The Last Unicorn.
PLOTSTUFF: fourteen competitors enter a weeklong hide-and-seek tournament with a $50,000 prize. some of the players are modern-world visionaries looking to harness the publicity of the competition to kickstart their brand and some are disadvantaged people who could really use that fifty thou in prize money to, you know, live. and all they have to do to win is scatter and stay hidden from dawn to dusk within the crumbling, overgrown amusement park until one person remains. if you're found, you're done.
you. are. done.
hide-and-seek may not be a team sport, but any Survivor-savvy strategist knows the importance of forming alliances, and some of our merry band will approach this adventure like any other reality-tv scenario—speechifying and working their angles for the hidden cameras, but they will soon discover that the stakes are higher than advertised, the game is rigged, and—far from being a random selection process, the contestants have all been chosen because of the one thing they all have common.
bwah ha haaaaaa...
don't worry about keeping track of all fourteen characters, because the bodies start dropping so quickly that the first batch of cannon-fodder contestants don't even get fleshed out beyond the broad strokes of their personalities before they're gone. the group whittles down quickly until only a handful remain, and thankfully these characters are well-developed with fully defined personalities and backstories designed to ignite the reader's sympathies—flawed but likable underdogs with hard-earned survival skills put to good use.
it's less graphically brutal than i'd anticipated, but more psychologically brutal, an emotionally effective survival story of class divide and the entitled elite driven by the same "some people are disposable" philosophy as The Most Dangerous Game and Good Rich People, but with more monsters at the story's center.
and also a minotaur.
*******************************
it is HERE!!!! HOLD MY CALLS!!
*******************************
OMG the ARC for this is on its way to me. i might have to get covid again so i can curl up with it uninterrupted.
*******************************
I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK.
come to my blog!
and the finished copy has a MAP!
********************************
this book knew just how to get my attention:
✓ deadly high stakes competition set in an abandoned amusement park.
✓ innocent childhood game given a horror movie coating, sinisterizing the phrase "come out, come out, wherever you are..."
✓ large group of strangers dwindling down à la And Then There Were None.
✓ characters isolated from the real world, with all of its pesky rules and social niceties.
✓ survival of the scrappiest.
i was expecting a Battle Royale kind of story, and it wasn't until i had the ARC in my hot little hands that i learned this was a rework of the minotaur/labyrinth myth, an unexpected supernatural angle which forced me to recalibrate—and if i'm being honest—lower my expectations.
in a second unwelcome surprise, the ARC's "dear reader" letter (am i the only one who reads these?) proclaims the story to be: an of-the-moment, scarily precise diagnosis of class and privilege and generational wealth.
huh? i thought i was getting a mindless splatter-romp through an amusement park like FantasticLand, where—if there was any attempt at a social message it was buried beneath a heap of body parts.
let us leave unexamined what it says about me that i use competitive murder books as escapist entertainment. suffice it to say, i ride the subway into the city every day, which gives me a front-row seat to the decline of civilization along with some simmering fantasies about thinning out the human herd.
however, despite my apprehension about its supernatural foes and societal woes, i was completely won over. the social commentary wasn't too heavy-handed and was well-integrated into the architecture of the story, and the beastie proved just as good as a human adversary at satisfying my bloodthirsty little readersoul. it helped that—precision be damned—i just pictured the red bull from The Last Unicorn.
PLOTSTUFF: fourteen competitors enter a weeklong hide-and-seek tournament with a $50,000 prize. some of the players are modern-world visionaries looking to harness the publicity of the competition to kickstart their brand and some are disadvantaged people who could really use that fifty thou in prize money to, you know, live. and all they have to do to win is scatter and stay hidden from dawn to dusk within the crumbling, overgrown amusement park until one person remains. if you're found, you're done.
you. are. done.
hide-and-seek may not be a team sport, but any Survivor-savvy strategist knows the importance of forming alliances, and some of our merry band will approach this adventure like any other reality-tv scenario—speechifying and working their angles for the hidden cameras, but they will soon discover that the stakes are higher than advertised, the game is rigged, and—far from being a random selection process, the contestants have all been chosen because of the one thing they all have common.
bwah ha haaaaaa...
don't worry about keeping track of all fourteen characters, because the bodies start dropping so quickly that the first batch of cannon-fodder contestants don't even get fleshed out beyond the broad strokes of their personalities before they're gone. the group whittles down quickly until only a handful remain, and thankfully these characters are well-developed with fully defined personalities and backstories designed to ignite the reader's sympathies—flawed but likable underdogs with hard-earned survival skills put to good use.
it's less graphically brutal than i'd anticipated, but more psychologically brutal, an emotionally effective survival story of class divide and the entitled elite driven by the same "some people are disposable" philosophy as The Most Dangerous Game and Good Rich People, but with more monsters at the story's center.
and also a minotaur.
*******************************
it is HERE!!!! HOLD MY CALLS!!
*******************************
OMG the ARC for this is on its way to me. i might have to get covid again so i can curl up with it uninterrupted.
*******************************
I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK.
come to my blog!
October 26, 2022
Escape room troupe located at the terrifying amusement park meets with Hungry Games- Maze Runner vibes : an action packed Hide and Seek game with adrenaline blast and smartly executed mystery.
I loved the idea and as a loyal fan of the author, I was so intrigued to read her contemporary horror adult debut!
The pacing was good. The opening about a family’s drama who lost their five years old daughter at the amusement park in 1974 resulted with park’s closing was also picking your interest from the beginning.
Then we’re introduced to Mack with mysterious back story, living in the shelters, acting like a wallflower, without anything to lose, finding herself to attend a very special hide and seek game!
The Olly Olly Oxen Free Hide and Seek Tournament rules are specific: 14 competitors, seven days. It’s basically children’s game. The award is: 50K!
Seven of the contenders are aspiring and favorite: A social media fitness model, a graffiti artist, a YouTube prank show hostess, an app developer/ house sitter, a jewelry designer/ dog walker, a zealous CrossFit Instructor, an actress with severe food allergies
And there seven more contenders including Mack who are described as stalled but they are also wild cards who no one expected to eliminate their rivalries.
A writer with severe people allergies ( nope, that’s me: I’m screenwriting who is allergic to only idiot people!!!!) , a boy equal parts banished and lost (he’s called LeGrand who picked my interest from the beginning), the kindest gas station attendant in Pocatello, Idaho ( I wish I eat or drink whatever he’s having: Brandon is such a dreamy character, too good to be born), a veteran ( buzzed Ava, who is gonna be sidekick of Mack), a solar panel salesman, an eternal intern!
You may guess something so sinister waiting for those guys at the amusement park. You’re absolutely right!
Without giving much away: I can absolutely say this was wild, jaw dropping, intense ride! My only concern is there are too many characters and some of them are truly annoying and easy to forget. I wish there were less competitors.
It was easy to care for Mack and Ava because of their tragic backgrounds which make them sharpen their survival skills.
The surprising horror element was thrown into this equation adroitly. It fits with the entire execution.
Overall: with less characters, this would be so much fun but it was still great try and I enjoyed it till the end. I hope Kiersten White writes more adult horror novels. She absolutely killed it!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group,Ballantine for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
I loved the idea and as a loyal fan of the author, I was so intrigued to read her contemporary horror adult debut!
The pacing was good. The opening about a family’s drama who lost their five years old daughter at the amusement park in 1974 resulted with park’s closing was also picking your interest from the beginning.
Then we’re introduced to Mack with mysterious back story, living in the shelters, acting like a wallflower, without anything to lose, finding herself to attend a very special hide and seek game!
The Olly Olly Oxen Free Hide and Seek Tournament rules are specific: 14 competitors, seven days. It’s basically children’s game. The award is: 50K!
Seven of the contenders are aspiring and favorite: A social media fitness model, a graffiti artist, a YouTube prank show hostess, an app developer/ house sitter, a jewelry designer/ dog walker, a zealous CrossFit Instructor, an actress with severe food allergies
And there seven more contenders including Mack who are described as stalled but they are also wild cards who no one expected to eliminate their rivalries.
A writer with severe people allergies ( nope, that’s me: I’m screenwriting who is allergic to only idiot people!!!!) , a boy equal parts banished and lost (he’s called LeGrand who picked my interest from the beginning), the kindest gas station attendant in Pocatello, Idaho ( I wish I eat or drink whatever he’s having: Brandon is such a dreamy character, too good to be born), a veteran ( buzzed Ava, who is gonna be sidekick of Mack), a solar panel salesman, an eternal intern!
You may guess something so sinister waiting for those guys at the amusement park. You’re absolutely right!
Without giving much away: I can absolutely say this was wild, jaw dropping, intense ride! My only concern is there are too many characters and some of them are truly annoying and easy to forget. I wish there were less competitors.
It was easy to care for Mack and Ava because of their tragic backgrounds which make them sharpen their survival skills.
The surprising horror element was thrown into this equation adroitly. It fits with the entire execution.
Overall: with less characters, this would be so much fun but it was still great try and I enjoyed it till the end. I hope Kiersten White writes more adult horror novels. She absolutely killed it!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group,Ballantine for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
October 11, 2022
“Hide” by Kiersten White started out pretty interesting. The intro was the best part of this novel for me as I figured it would set the tone for a crazy, wild, insane ride that literally takes place in a creepy amusement park. It’s no secret this novel has a ton of 5 Star ratings with many readers saying how much they loved it and all that jazz.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case here with me. I know reading is subjective but for what was dubbed a horror novel, this barely had anything scary at all. Yeah, this originally gave me Squid Game/The Hunger Games vibes but it just fell flat. Nothing remotely interesting happened until about 70+ pages in when I was wondering what exactly am I reading because nothing horrific was happening. It was mostly just endless dialogue which wasn’t all that immersive.
From way too many references of peeing and two main characters with the exact same name, this was one confusing mess with way too many characters. I didn’t like any of them and even found the main protagonist annoying. This probably would have been better if it trimmed down some of these characters to make them memorable.
As I kept reading, this novel just drags on to the point of it being a complete snoozefest. I’m not sure why this is even considered to be a horror novel as it doesn’t have anything scary, crazy, or terrifying enough to keep you up at night. This felt more like a sci-fi/young adult novel than horror. Yeah, there are some parts that dabble in horror but it’s not fully fleshed out enough to scar you as it typically should. I thought the few scary situations in this one were very lame.
When it comes to White’s writing style in this novel, I didn’t like it at all. The chapters are done in days and felt like various, out-of-place, random mini-stories within those chapters from the POV of characters as events happened. These mini-stories just ended out of nowhere then right onto the next random person.
Due to this, it was not a fun reading experience going back and forth like that with no real rhyme or reason with characters I already forgot about or didn’t know who they were because again, they just weren’t worth remembering. It just didn’t make sense to me and abruptly takes you from one POV to another in which you’re left hanging. Common now.
Overall, I give “Hide” by Kiersten White a 1/5 as it was boring, repetitive, and just not anything that excited me. I love horror and when I jump into a horror novel to read, I expect horror. I didn’t enjoy this one bit and I couldn’t wait to be done to move on to something better.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case here with me. I know reading is subjective but for what was dubbed a horror novel, this barely had anything scary at all. Yeah, this originally gave me Squid Game/The Hunger Games vibes but it just fell flat. Nothing remotely interesting happened until about 70+ pages in when I was wondering what exactly am I reading because nothing horrific was happening. It was mostly just endless dialogue which wasn’t all that immersive.
From way too many references of peeing and two main characters with the exact same name, this was one confusing mess with way too many characters. I didn’t like any of them and even found the main protagonist annoying. This probably would have been better if it trimmed down some of these characters to make them memorable.
As I kept reading, this novel just drags on to the point of it being a complete snoozefest. I’m not sure why this is even considered to be a horror novel as it doesn’t have anything scary, crazy, or terrifying enough to keep you up at night. This felt more like a sci-fi/young adult novel than horror. Yeah, there are some parts that dabble in horror but it’s not fully fleshed out enough to scar you as it typically should. I thought the few scary situations in this one were very lame.
When it comes to White’s writing style in this novel, I didn’t like it at all. The chapters are done in days and felt like various, out-of-place, random mini-stories within those chapters from the POV of characters as events happened. These mini-stories just ended out of nowhere then right onto the next random person.
Due to this, it was not a fun reading experience going back and forth like that with no real rhyme or reason with characters I already forgot about or didn’t know who they were because again, they just weren’t worth remembering. It just didn’t make sense to me and abruptly takes you from one POV to another in which you’re left hanging. Common now.
Overall, I give “Hide” by Kiersten White a 1/5 as it was boring, repetitive, and just not anything that excited me. I love horror and when I jump into a horror novel to read, I expect horror. I didn’t enjoy this one bit and I couldn’t wait to be done to move on to something better.
December 5, 2022
Finally, a book that held my attention from beginning to end! While I understand the complaints regarding the large, sometimes confusing cast, the supernatural twist, and the heavy handed social message, I really enjoyed these aspects and it's probably why the story worked so well for me. This type of horror was just the right balance of spooky, gory, and thought provoking, all three things I love in a creepy novel. My only complaint is the abrupt ending to the novel; I wish we had received just a bit more "riding off into the sunset" context to wrap up what all we learned and saw along the way. Otherwise, if you're a fan of quick reads that give you chills and thrills, don't sleep on Hide!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
May 22, 2022
I had been eagerly awaiting this book, and unfortunately for me, it was not the book I was expecting. This novel will have widespread appeal, but it employs a genre/trope that I don't like and so I was disappointed once I got midway through and figured out what was going on. Spoilers (but not major ones) below:
Overall, many people may enjoy this book, it just was not for me due to subject matter that I don't care to read.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Overall, many people may enjoy this book, it just was not for me due to subject matter that I don't care to read.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
May 26, 2022
olly olly oxen free
**3.5 Stars**
The game is simple. Spend a week in an abandoned amusement park playing the ultimate game of hide and go seek without being caught. The prize is enough money to change your life. Fourteen contestants are locked behind massive gates with one goal in mind....make it to sundown. Mack has been hiding her whole life. She knows she can win. However, the game is rigged. There is no winner in this game. Only screams from the hunted as the hunter finds them two by two.
There was no need for romance in this book. I mean, they are being picked off one by one. Not exactly the atmosphere for budding love. I wish horror writers would stop this nonsense. It is not believable.
**3.5 Stars**
The game is simple. Spend a week in an abandoned amusement park playing the ultimate game of hide and go seek without being caught. The prize is enough money to change your life. Fourteen contestants are locked behind massive gates with one goal in mind....make it to sundown. Mack has been hiding her whole life. She knows she can win. However, the game is rigged. There is no winner in this game. Only screams from the hunted as the hunter finds them two by two.
There was no need for romance in this book. I mean, they are being picked off one by one. Not exactly the atmosphere for budding love. I wish horror writers would stop this nonsense. It is not believable.
February 4, 2022
3.5 STARS
Modern twist on a legend in Greek mythology (not telling though). Throw in a bit of Hunger Games and ready, set, go!
"Come out, come out, wherever you are......"
Fourteen competitors, the list is approved, seven days in an abandoned amusement park, cell-free zone, sleeping outside is part of the game, a cash prize, houses of fun and terror. It's a "horror reality show".
The descriptions of the hostess, Linda, cracked me up. She gives out all the "rules" that must be followed. She wears bright colored pantsuits and her hair exists in "defiance of gravity".
This one was full of tension, without making me terrified. You know things are going to go wrong and the author keeps you in the dark until the end when the motivations are revealed. There are quite a few characters to keep up with and two characters named Ava! Why?!
Overall, a fast suspenseful read. The plot has a complicated backstory to it, so that was a lot to take in and there are a couple of plot holes. It lost me a bit in the end. Still, I always wanted to pick up and find out what was happening. And the winner is.............
Thanks to NG and Random House for my early copy. OUT May 24, 2022
Modern twist on a legend in Greek mythology (not telling though). Throw in a bit of Hunger Games and ready, set, go!
"Come out, come out, wherever you are......"
Fourteen competitors, the list is approved, seven days in an abandoned amusement park, cell-free zone, sleeping outside is part of the game, a cash prize, houses of fun and terror. It's a "horror reality show".
The descriptions of the hostess, Linda, cracked me up. She gives out all the "rules" that must be followed. She wears bright colored pantsuits and her hair exists in "defiance of gravity".
This one was full of tension, without making me terrified. You know things are going to go wrong and the author keeps you in the dark until the end when the motivations are revealed. There are quite a few characters to keep up with and two characters named Ava! Why?!
Overall, a fast suspenseful read. The plot has a complicated backstory to it, so that was a lot to take in and there are a couple of plot holes. It lost me a bit in the end. Still, I always wanted to pick up and find out what was happening. And the winner is.............
Thanks to NG and Random House for my early copy. OUT May 24, 2022
June 5, 2022
"If it's a game, win," Ava says, her voice fierce. "And it it's not, survive."
Come out, come out, whereever you are!
Who doesn't like Hide and Seek? Who hasn't played it? Who will be the winner?
The fourteen contestants all want to win. There is a lot of money on the table, and they all are motivated to play, to win, and to change their lives. How hard can it be? Hide during the day and come back to camp at night.
Seven days. That is not a long time. You must be better than the others at hiding and maybe, just maybe, you could be the winner!
This was a fun one for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it. This read like a horror film for me, and parts reminded me Predator (I chuckled when a piece of equipment is called the Predator), The Cabin in the Woods, and dare I say it The Hunger Games,
From the beginning, when Linda made her appearance, I knew things were going to get real. Two contestants would be eliminated each day. Will the odds be in their favor? I think not! Hide has suspense, tension and dread all rolled up in a neat little package. I enjoyed not quite knowing what was going on after their first night. We don't know a lot about the characters, but one is singled out and we know more about her. Slowly we get to learn more about some others which added to the tension and dread in the book.
This one grabbed my attention from the beginning. I was fully invested in knowing what was going on. Readers learn what is happening and yet, it only added to my enjoyment. With the descriptions, I could easily visualize what was happening in the book. I can see this being made into a movie.
I love a good horror book. I love being scared by them. This book has an underlying dread which really helped amp up the anxiety and tension for me.
Who is ready for a game of hide and seek?
#Hide #NetGalley
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Come out, come out, whereever you are!
Who doesn't like Hide and Seek? Who hasn't played it? Who will be the winner?
The fourteen contestants all want to win. There is a lot of money on the table, and they all are motivated to play, to win, and to change their lives. How hard can it be? Hide during the day and come back to camp at night.
Seven days. That is not a long time. You must be better than the others at hiding and maybe, just maybe, you could be the winner!
This was a fun one for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it. This read like a horror film for me, and parts reminded me Predator (I chuckled when a piece of equipment is called the Predator), The Cabin in the Woods, and dare I say it The Hunger Games,
From the beginning, when Linda made her appearance, I knew things were going to get real. Two contestants would be eliminated each day. Will the odds be in their favor? I think not! Hide has suspense, tension and dread all rolled up in a neat little package. I enjoyed not quite knowing what was going on after their first night. We don't know a lot about the characters, but one is singled out and we know more about her. Slowly we get to learn more about some others which added to the tension and dread in the book.
This one grabbed my attention from the beginning. I was fully invested in knowing what was going on. Readers learn what is happening and yet, it only added to my enjoyment. With the descriptions, I could easily visualize what was happening in the book. I can see this being made into a movie.
I love a good horror book. I love being scared by them. This book has an underlying dread which really helped amp up the anxiety and tension for me.
Who is ready for a game of hide and seek?
#Hide #NetGalley
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
June 15, 2022
4.5 Stars
There wasn’t much to the book but I loved it!! Thank you and goodnight! 😏😉
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Hidden spoiler for me to come back to..
Would like the physical copy
There wasn’t much to the book but I loved it!! Thank you and goodnight! 😏😉
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Hidden spoiler for me to come back to..
Would like the physical copy
April 8, 2022
1,2,3,4.....
"So now she's seen it. She knows what's out there. It doesn't make anymore sense than it did before, but at least she can move from horror - the fear of the unknown - to terror - the fear of the known. Terror is almost a comfort at this point, a familiar friend."
Come, come out wherever you are.....
Fourteen people are selected to take part in a hide and seek competition in an abandoned amusement park. For seven days they can't be found. The payout: $50,000.00. All that were chosen are in desperate need of this money but there can be only one winner. How well can you hide if you need to survive?
This was a wild little book that's being compared to Fantasticland and Hunger Games. I've not read Hunger Games but, for me, this is no Fantasticland. It just can't compare with Fantasticland's brutality. If I had to compare this to another book I would say it reminded me a bit of Reprieve by James Han Mattson due to the social commentary and the fact that while both are marketed as horror novels they aren't actually overtly frightening. They seem to be making you think more about the characters than the actual jump scares. Personally, I don't mind it. I don't need to be splashed with guts and gore to gain enjoyment from a horror novel. I'm not so much into creature features anymore but this was exceptionally well written and I cared enough about some of the characters that I enjoyed the ride from beginning to end. If this sounds appealing then I strongly suggest giving it a try because you could do a whole lot worse in this genre. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my complimentary copy.
"So now she's seen it. She knows what's out there. It doesn't make anymore sense than it did before, but at least she can move from horror - the fear of the unknown - to terror - the fear of the known. Terror is almost a comfort at this point, a familiar friend."
Come, come out wherever you are.....
Fourteen people are selected to take part in a hide and seek competition in an abandoned amusement park. For seven days they can't be found. The payout: $50,000.00. All that were chosen are in desperate need of this money but there can be only one winner. How well can you hide if you need to survive?
This was a wild little book that's being compared to Fantasticland and Hunger Games. I've not read Hunger Games but, for me, this is no Fantasticland. It just can't compare with Fantasticland's brutality. If I had to compare this to another book I would say it reminded me a bit of Reprieve by James Han Mattson due to the social commentary and the fact that while both are marketed as horror novels they aren't actually overtly frightening. They seem to be making you think more about the characters than the actual jump scares. Personally, I don't mind it. I don't need to be splashed with guts and gore to gain enjoyment from a horror novel. I'm not so much into creature features anymore but this was exceptionally well written and I cared enough about some of the characters that I enjoyed the ride from beginning to end. If this sounds appealing then I strongly suggest giving it a try because you could do a whole lot worse in this genre. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my complimentary copy.
June 20, 2022
2.0 Stars
This was an action packed adult horror book that read like YA. The group of young people were all quite uninteresting and the plot was equally predictable. I honestly found this book quite boring. If it was longer, I wouldn't have finished it.
This was an action packed adult horror book that read like YA. The group of young people were all quite uninteresting and the plot was equally predictable. I honestly found this book quite boring. If it was longer, I wouldn't have finished it.
January 1, 2022
It was an abandoned Amusement Park, closed after a five year old girl vanished within, her patent leather shoe caught on the branches of a topiary. "Slowly what didn't crumble rusted and what didn't rust leaned. All the walkways were lined with impassable shrubbery, undergrowth turned into overgrowth, wild plant life was riddled with thorns."
In an undisclosed location, Linda the game hostess, welcomed fourteen contestants to a seven day competition, the Olly Olly Oxen Free Hide-and-Seek Tournament with the chance to win $50,000. The contestants chosen were unemployed or underemployed and in their twenties. Mack was a shelter resident who hid daily from the other shelter occupants. Her backpack, left unattended on the bed, was stolen. Since she now only owned the clothes on her back, entering the contest seemed like a good idea.
A false sense of security was created by Linda, the hostess, when she sprang for an elaborate breakfast at the Star Diner where the fourteen contestants were feted and given contest documents to sign. On to the spa, to be pampered. Off to the Amusement Park. Entering through the wrought iron gate, they then proceeded to the base camp pavilion, a cement floor under a corrugated roof...neat cots...food and water provided...no cell phone signal.
The Rules
-30 minute hiding window given at the start of each day
-the game is active from dawn to dusk
-no allowance for medical, bathroom emergencies or food runs
-a beacon will shine in the sky at dusk calling the contestants back to camp
-2 contestants will be eliminated each day
Should the contestants hide individually? Form alliances? Something sinister was definitely occurring. Heavy footsteps at a slow deliberate pace...the distant scream of rusted metal...
"Hide" by Kiersten White is horror at its best. Off to a slow start, I could not imagine the grip the novel would have on my emotions. The tension and building suspense, the twists and turns and many pitfalls truly challenged and terrified the well developed cast of characters. Who would be victorious? What a chilling, unsettling, page turner filled with dark secrets, sacrifice and camaraderie! Highly recommended.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine/Del Rey and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In an undisclosed location, Linda the game hostess, welcomed fourteen contestants to a seven day competition, the Olly Olly Oxen Free Hide-and-Seek Tournament with the chance to win $50,000. The contestants chosen were unemployed or underemployed and in their twenties. Mack was a shelter resident who hid daily from the other shelter occupants. Her backpack, left unattended on the bed, was stolen. Since she now only owned the clothes on her back, entering the contest seemed like a good idea.
A false sense of security was created by Linda, the hostess, when she sprang for an elaborate breakfast at the Star Diner where the fourteen contestants were feted and given contest documents to sign. On to the spa, to be pampered. Off to the Amusement Park. Entering through the wrought iron gate, they then proceeded to the base camp pavilion, a cement floor under a corrugated roof...neat cots...food and water provided...no cell phone signal.
The Rules
-30 minute hiding window given at the start of each day
-the game is active from dawn to dusk
-no allowance for medical, bathroom emergencies or food runs
-a beacon will shine in the sky at dusk calling the contestants back to camp
-2 contestants will be eliminated each day
Should the contestants hide individually? Form alliances? Something sinister was definitely occurring. Heavy footsteps at a slow deliberate pace...the distant scream of rusted metal...
"Hide" by Kiersten White is horror at its best. Off to a slow start, I could not imagine the grip the novel would have on my emotions. The tension and building suspense, the twists and turns and many pitfalls truly challenged and terrified the well developed cast of characters. Who would be victorious? What a chilling, unsettling, page turner filled with dark secrets, sacrifice and camaraderie! Highly recommended.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine/Del Rey and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 27, 2022
Oh look-A FIVE STAR HORROR BOOK! 14 competitors in the hide and seek tournament, 7 days to not be found, AND AN ABANDONED AMUSEMENT PARK (can a setting get better than this? I think not). This was like if Hunger Games and Maze Runner had a demented (but still fun) baby. I want to say more, but I can’t without fear of spoilers so basically just go read it ok?
October 10, 2022
She missed death the first time it came for her, and she was ready—maybe even eager—for it here
Hide was tons of fun. I just read another book that centered around a groups of kids dying in an amusement park and it was a big let down. So, I was 100% into the twist of this book.
If all the world is hell and evil is all around them, what else can they do but try to help each other?
I enjoyed the atmosphere, the amusement park visuals, and the characters. It may not have been the deepest novel but I'm always up for a light game of hide and seek.
Hide was tons of fun. I just read another book that centered around a groups of kids dying in an amusement park and it was a big let down. So, I was 100% into the twist of this book.
If all the world is hell and evil is all around them, what else can they do but try to help each other?
I enjoyed the atmosphere, the amusement park visuals, and the characters. It may not have been the deepest novel but I'm always up for a light game of hide and seek.
June 25, 2022
I was really looking forward to this book coming out, but it ended up being a big letdown. I first read the blurb and was hoping for something like Fantasticland. Instead, I got something more like Clown in a Cornfield, that took itself too seriously and got rid of the fun .
The first problem is way too many characters and almost all of them have POV sections in the story. I didn't go back and count, but there are at least 14 viewpoint characters in this book. It was a pain keeping track of who was who and the author would switch POV with no warning, so I had to re-read multiple sections when I got lost to figure out who had POV and who the hell they were. Since the book is just under 250 pages, character development gets skipped in favor of caricatures and stereotypes.
Second, the author gets pretty heavy handed with the social commentary. I'm shocked no one in this book uttered the phrase "okay, boomer." Most of the characters felt like they would be right at home on Reddit in subs like /r/antiwork or /r/teenagers. Sure they're supposed to be in their 20's but they're definitely written as teenagers. It felt like the author was trying to make a point about how boomers ruined everything for the younger generations, but then added a bunch of characters from said younger generation and wrote them to be the entitled and lazy people that senior citizens make Facebook memes about.
For me, the final straw was the lack of anything resembling an ending. The book just sort of stops in the middle of the action. I'm not a fan of ambiguous endings, but I can live with them when they're well done. This was not one of those. It isn't really even fair to call it ambiguous; it's more like the author got a wrist cramp and just said "screw it, close enough" and called it a day. So not only did the book skip what would have been the best part of the ending, what they kept didn't make a lot of sense. Apparently right before the "climax" of the book, our heroes signaled for a time out and all action stopped in order to speechify at the very end. It was like a movie where they show the bomb counting down the last 5 seconds, but 20 minutes worth of movie takes place in those 5 seconds. Our heroes talk and talk and right before the big payoff, the book ends. I was still planning on giving this 3 stars right up to the last few pages.
This is another case of good concept, but poor execution. Had the author limited the book to two or three viewpoint characters, spent more time on development of the important characters, and actually wrote a complete ending this could have been a decent read. I didn't hate it, but can't say I really liked it either.
The first problem is way too many characters and almost all of them have POV sections in the story. I didn't go back and count, but there are at least 14 viewpoint characters in this book. It was a pain keeping track of who was who and the author would switch POV with no warning, so I had to re-read multiple sections when I got lost to figure out who had POV and who the hell they were. Since the book is just under 250 pages, character development gets skipped in favor of caricatures and stereotypes.
Second, the author gets pretty heavy handed with the social commentary. I'm shocked no one in this book uttered the phrase "okay, boomer." Most of the characters felt like they would be right at home on Reddit in subs like /r/antiwork or /r/teenagers. Sure they're supposed to be in their 20's but they're definitely written as teenagers. It felt like the author was trying to make a point about how boomers ruined everything for the younger generations, but then added a bunch of characters from said younger generation and wrote them to be the entitled and lazy people that senior citizens make Facebook memes about.
For me, the final straw was the lack of anything resembling an ending. The book just sort of stops in the middle of the action. I'm not a fan of ambiguous endings, but I can live with them when they're well done. This was not one of those. It isn't really even fair to call it ambiguous; it's more like the author got a wrist cramp and just said "screw it, close enough" and called it a day. So not only did the book skip what would have been the best part of the ending, what they kept didn't make a lot of sense. Apparently right before the "climax" of the book, our heroes signaled for a time out and all action stopped in order to speechify at the very end. It was like a movie where they show the bomb counting down the last 5 seconds, but 20 minutes worth of movie takes place in those 5 seconds. Our heroes talk and talk and right before the big payoff, the book ends. I was still planning on giving this 3 stars right up to the last few pages.
This is another case of good concept, but poor execution. Had the author limited the book to two or three viewpoint characters, spent more time on development of the important characters, and actually wrote a complete ending this could have been a decent read. I didn't hate it, but can't say I really liked it either.
February 12, 2022
I'm still a bit confused on what I actually read. To say Kiersten White's upcoming horror novel
Hide
is at the top of my anticipated TBR list is an understatement. I've been wanting to read this book F O R E V E R. The story has Hunger Games and Fantasticland vibes, but this book is so much more. When Mack finds out that there's a challenge at an amusement park that involves hide and seek, with a prize money for the winner that could change her life, she knows it's the opportunity of a lifetime. Mack can stop spending her time in shelters and finally be able to live the life she's always dreamed to have. With fourteen contestants, the competition is tough and they all want to win. As the competition starts to slowly disappear each day, Mack realizes that this competition isn't what she signed up for—it's much more menacing than she ever expected.
Go into this book with little background because the book is short and you don't want to ruin the narrative. At 250-something pages, this book holds a lot together in a short amount of time. At times, the book kind of deviates from the main plot and I still got young adult vibes from this author's adult fiction debut, but I really enjoyed what I read. It's a speculative supernatural horror, so if you enjoyed The Cabin at the End of the World, this book is up your alley! While not perfect, Hide is definitely one of my favorite horror stories that I've read in awhile. I can't wait to read whatever Kiersten White has up her sleeves next.
Go into this book with little background because the book is short and you don't want to ruin the narrative. At 250-something pages, this book holds a lot together in a short amount of time. At times, the book kind of deviates from the main plot and I still got young adult vibes from this author's adult fiction debut, but I really enjoyed what I read. It's a speculative supernatural horror, so if you enjoyed The Cabin at the End of the World, this book is up your alley! While not perfect, Hide is definitely one of my favorite horror stories that I've read in awhile. I can't wait to read whatever Kiersten White has up her sleeves next.
April 23, 2022
Fourteen young and very lucky contestants are selected to vie for the ultimate prize of fifty thousand dollars. All they have to do is play the game of "Hide and Seek" for seven full days at an old one-time famous, now abandoned and decrepit amusement park and the last person "not found" will obviously be the big winner. What an exciting and fun opportunity for all the players chosen to participate in this game where several contestants are hoping to jumpstart their social media careers and others just want to win the big money. Winning is the name of the game for everyone. There will be rules to follow and they will hide from sunrise to sunset although they will not be told who the seeker will be and by the time they find out who or what is doing the seeking it will be too late to quit the game and they will wish they never heard of the game of "Hide and Seek" because it is now GAME OVER!
This was a very creepy and disturbing horror story taking place in a spooky old, broken down and desolate amusement park located far from any nearby towns or help if needed. I found all the characters wonderfully developed whether they were likeable or despicable. The dark storytelling and writing was great as it had myself feeling many emotions throughout the book. This was a horror story blended with the supernatural yet it touched upon many current social issues that all of society is dealing with today as in violence, domestic abuse, murder, racism, physical appearance, bigotry, PTSD, economic class etc which were wonderful assets brought into a horror story. The reader may think as they're reading that there will be a predictable outcome but they couldn't be more wrong. Kirsten White has written an entertaining and terrific book that encompasses all sorts of dark, nightmarish settings and I highly recommend it to all avid horror readers.
I want to thank The publisher "Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book of nightmares a rating of 4 DARK AND HORRIFYING 🌟🌟🌟🌟!!
Title: Hide
Author: Kirsten White
Publisher: Ballantine Publishing Group - Ballantine
Publication Date: May 24, 2022
This was a very creepy and disturbing horror story taking place in a spooky old, broken down and desolate amusement park located far from any nearby towns or help if needed. I found all the characters wonderfully developed whether they were likeable or despicable. The dark storytelling and writing was great as it had myself feeling many emotions throughout the book. This was a horror story blended with the supernatural yet it touched upon many current social issues that all of society is dealing with today as in violence, domestic abuse, murder, racism, physical appearance, bigotry, PTSD, economic class etc which were wonderful assets brought into a horror story. The reader may think as they're reading that there will be a predictable outcome but they couldn't be more wrong. Kirsten White has written an entertaining and terrific book that encompasses all sorts of dark, nightmarish settings and I highly recommend it to all avid horror readers.
I want to thank The publisher "Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book of nightmares a rating of 4 DARK AND HORRIFYING 🌟🌟🌟🌟!!
Title: Hide
Author: Kirsten White
Publisher: Ballantine Publishing Group - Ballantine
Publication Date: May 24, 2022
June 12, 2022
Not my favorite, but not horrible either!
I think my biggest issue was all the POV’s. I’m never good with multiple perspectives, though, so it might not bother you like it did me. Other than that, I thought I just thought it was kind of boring. It picks up in the last like 100 pages or so, but even then I just didn’t think this was an exciting read.
The cover and the map inside are really cool though!!
I think my biggest issue was all the POV’s. I’m never good with multiple perspectives, though, so it might not bother you like it did me. Other than that, I thought I just thought it was kind of boring. It picks up in the last like 100 pages or so, but even then I just didn’t think this was an exciting read.
The cover and the map inside are really cool though!!
July 15, 2022
The premise of this was so good and I was hyped to pick this up but it ended up falling pretty flat for me. I was hoping for something a little bit more creepy and intense compared to what we really got.
For such a short book the pacing felt super off. There's so many characters and at the 50% mark there still isn't much going on. Of course, everything is crammed into the last half of the book and the ending is so abrupt that I double checked to make sure my book wasn't missing any pages. The only reason I feel that a 3 star rating is fair is because despite the wonky pacing and rapid shifting of POV's it was able to hold my attention from start to finish...I just didn't necessarily love what went down in between those points.
For such a short book the pacing felt super off. There's so many characters and at the 50% mark there still isn't much going on. Of course, everything is crammed into the last half of the book and the ending is so abrupt that I double checked to make sure my book wasn't missing any pages. The only reason I feel that a 3 star rating is fair is because despite the wonky pacing and rapid shifting of POV's it was able to hold my attention from start to finish...I just didn't necessarily love what went down in between those points.
May 28, 2022
Kiersten White is an author that has made a name for herself in the young adult fantasy world but Hide is her first attempt at an adult novel. Hide is a thrilling paranormal horror story.
Mack is more than just down on her luck and will admit to being a little bit desperate when she receives the offer to take part in a weird game of hide and seek. Transported to the middle of nowhere Mack finds herself among fourteen competitors arriving.
Taken into a shelter they are given the rules, from dawn until dusk the game is on, hide or be eliminated if found. They are told that two of them will be eliminated each day and after that return to the base until the next day when the hunt begins again. To win simply survive the seven days without being found.
Being an adult has not stopped me from reading many of Kiersten White’s young adult novels and completely enjoying them so I was excited to give this first adult novel a go when I saw it. I was not surprised at all to find myself enjoying this one with the pages flying by as the tension grew. Loved the old abandoned park as a setting and the idea behind all that was going on in the park past and present. This one was thoroughly creepy and compelling and makes me want another adult attempt from the author.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Mack is more than just down on her luck and will admit to being a little bit desperate when she receives the offer to take part in a weird game of hide and seek. Transported to the middle of nowhere Mack finds herself among fourteen competitors arriving.
Taken into a shelter they are given the rules, from dawn until dusk the game is on, hide or be eliminated if found. They are told that two of them will be eliminated each day and after that return to the base until the next day when the hunt begins again. To win simply survive the seven days without being found.
Being an adult has not stopped me from reading many of Kiersten White’s young adult novels and completely enjoying them so I was excited to give this first adult novel a go when I saw it. I was not surprised at all to find myself enjoying this one with the pages flying by as the tension grew. Loved the old abandoned park as a setting and the idea behind all that was going on in the park past and present. This one was thoroughly creepy and compelling and makes me want another adult attempt from the author.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
June 10, 2022
Possibly one of the worst books I’ve ever read? 👀
More in my vlog!
https://youtu.be/-FJUEnzOUgs
More in my vlog!
https://youtu.be/-FJUEnzOUgs
June 7, 2023
People seem to be REALLY divided on this one. But honestly? I enjoyed it.
Is it a perfect book? No. But it's an easy read with a unique concept, interesting characters, a creepy atmosphere, and social commentary sprinkled on top. I kept pausing my work to read a few more chapters because I needed to know how it ended!
Mack was a great protagonist, layered, resourceful, shut off for her own protection but still willing to be vulnerable when met with kindness and compassion. Ava, Brandon, and LeGrand rounded out our primary cast of characters, and I enjoyed that each of them was developed with backstories and motivations on a deeper level than the other contestants so we could connect with them.
Speaking of Ava, there was literally NO reason to have two characters with that name. It felt like a gimmick that was meant to be funny, but it got old after three pages and kept me groaning and rolling my eyes as White tried to find new quirkyTM ways to distinguish between them. That being said, I liked both Avas quite a bit and found Ava Two's internal conflict throughout realistic and rather endearing.
I appreciated that the author portrayed two versions of lasting trauma/PTSD and a nuanced development of both romantic and platonic relationships in a fraught and high-stress situation. The relationship development was quick but felt realistic based on their circumstances, and I was very invested in our core group pretty much immediately.
The pacing was a bit slow in the middle but definitely picked up as the horror ramped up in the second half. I can understand the critique that the opening flashback to Mack's past sets up an expectation for the book that doesn't necessarily align with what's to come, but I felt it was effective at immediately dropping the reader into the terror and allowing us to sit in that discomfort as we waited for the other shoe to drop in the present.
The atmosphere in the abandoned theme park was creepy as hell, and I thought the slow reveal of the baddie was well done for ultimate tension.
I also enjoyed the social commentary, from homophobia, racism, classism, and sexism to generational animosity (boomers using and abusing younger generations for their own benefit and then blaming and deriding them for struggling).
Overall this worked for me, and I had a good time reading it, despite its flaws. I'd definitely read another horror novel from this author in the future!
“People pretend things aren’t wrong, even when they can feel the truth, because they’re too afraid of what it means to look right at the horror, right at the wrongness, to face the truth in all its terrible glory. Like little kids, playing hide-and-seek. If they can’t see the monster, it can’t get them. But it can. It always can. And while you aren’t looking, it’s eating everyone around you.”
Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, blood and gore, suicide, murder of children, loss of parents, loss of a sibling, homelessness, homophobia, sexism, racism, classism, animal death, high-demand religion/cult (mentioned)
You can find me on...
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PBB Book Club
Is it a perfect book? No. But it's an easy read with a unique concept, interesting characters, a creepy atmosphere, and social commentary sprinkled on top. I kept pausing my work to read a few more chapters because I needed to know how it ended!
Mack was a great protagonist, layered, resourceful, shut off for her own protection but still willing to be vulnerable when met with kindness and compassion. Ava, Brandon, and LeGrand rounded out our primary cast of characters, and I enjoyed that each of them was developed with backstories and motivations on a deeper level than the other contestants so we could connect with them.
Speaking of Ava, there was literally NO reason to have two characters with that name. It felt like a gimmick that was meant to be funny, but it got old after three pages and kept me groaning and rolling my eyes as White tried to find new quirkyTM ways to distinguish between them. That being said, I liked both Avas quite a bit and found Ava Two's internal conflict throughout realistic and rather endearing.
I appreciated that the author portrayed two versions of lasting trauma/PTSD and a nuanced development of both romantic and platonic relationships in a fraught and high-stress situation. The relationship development was quick but felt realistic based on their circumstances, and I was very invested in our core group pretty much immediately.
The pacing was a bit slow in the middle but definitely picked up as the horror ramped up in the second half. I can understand the critique that the opening flashback to Mack's past sets up an expectation for the book that doesn't necessarily align with what's to come, but I felt it was effective at immediately dropping the reader into the terror and allowing us to sit in that discomfort as we waited for the other shoe to drop in the present.
The atmosphere in the abandoned theme park was creepy as hell, and I thought the slow reveal of the baddie was well done for ultimate tension.
I also enjoyed the social commentary, from homophobia, racism, classism, and sexism to generational animosity (boomers using and abusing younger generations for their own benefit and then blaming and deriding them for struggling).
Overall this worked for me, and I had a good time reading it, despite its flaws. I'd definitely read another horror novel from this author in the future!
“People pretend things aren’t wrong, even when they can feel the truth, because they’re too afraid of what it means to look right at the horror, right at the wrongness, to face the truth in all its terrible glory. Like little kids, playing hide-and-seek. If they can’t see the monster, it can’t get them. But it can. It always can. And while you aren’t looking, it’s eating everyone around you.”
Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, blood and gore, suicide, murder of children, loss of parents, loss of a sibling, homelessness, homophobia, sexism, racism, classism, animal death, high-demand religion/cult (mentioned)
You can find me on...
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You can join our book club over on Patreon...
PBB Book Club
September 9, 2024
Considering Hide, was such a fast- paced story, it still didn’t grip me as much as I would have liked until towards the end. There was a big cast of characters, yet hardly any character development to get to know them. They felt very surface level. I wish there were even more horror elements throughout, as when those kicked in towards the end, I started to enjoy the story much more.
The reader is mostly told the story through the character, Mack, as she is very skilled at being able to hide. This helps her as the game the contestants are playing increasingly gets more deadly. I wish the story had focused on fleshing her out a bit more as a character, rather than jumping between the others so much. It felt a little jumbled at times.
The sense of mystery and foreboding was most definitely the best part, as you know something lies in wait for the game contestants, but you don’t quite know what. I just wish the horror had been turned up even more.
Overall, this story is fine, and I am certain there are many others who would prefer it. If you are a fan of Squid Game or Hunger Games, you should like it!
September’s Discord group read 🖤
3 stars
The reader is mostly told the story through the character, Mack, as she is very skilled at being able to hide. This helps her as the game the contestants are playing increasingly gets more deadly. I wish the story had focused on fleshing her out a bit more as a character, rather than jumping between the others so much. It felt a little jumbled at times.
The sense of mystery and foreboding was most definitely the best part, as you know something lies in wait for the game contestants, but you don’t quite know what. I just wish the horror had been turned up even more.
Overall, this story is fine, and I am certain there are many others who would prefer it. If you are a fan of Squid Game or Hunger Games, you should like it!
September’s Discord group read 🖤
3 stars
May 31, 2022
A competition of hide & seek with 14 competitors and 7 days. The prize being enough money to change your life. A dark secret behind these games changes everything. Can Mack outwit, outlast and stay alive?
A really good flow with great writing style, fast paced and easy to follow. As the book went on the plot was pretty obvious. Too many characters to really get to know them all. The MC's development was good. I was excited for this storyline but it died a bit in the middle. The cover is nice and bright and captures you attention.
It took of running and I was really excited for this kind of book. It felt a little rushed and kind off lost a great pace in the middle. I would have liked more "hiding & scaring" topics were you feel your heart pumping a mile a minute. Overall a good book with a great storyline.
A really good flow with great writing style, fast paced and easy to follow. As the book went on the plot was pretty obvious. Too many characters to really get to know them all. The MC's development was good. I was excited for this storyline but it died a bit in the middle. The cover is nice and bright and captures you attention.
It took of running and I was really excited for this kind of book. It felt a little rushed and kind off lost a great pace in the middle. I would have liked more "hiding & scaring" topics were you feel your heart pumping a mile a minute. Overall a good book with a great storyline.
Read
July 28, 2022eeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
October 23, 2022
The first half of this was very difficult to care about because there were so many characters (most of them sadly quite one-dimensional), but the second half was an absolute delight. 3.5 stars and I'll post a full review soon!
December 18, 2021
White holds no punches in this brilliantly executed play on the Minotaur myth. Every twist and turn horrified and delighted me in equal measure. This book was so damn fun!
July 17, 2022
I'm probably going to piss some people off with this one.
Oh well.
DNF At Page 31.
I saw this book and read it's synopsis and immediately preordered this. Then I noticed early ratings were pointing in the direction of this not living up to expectations. Still, that premise had me sold on deciding for myself. It actually still does. This book may have had every single thing I love about books of this nature and maybe even some things I didn't know I would love until I read them here.
But in 31 pages, I KNOW it had a lot of things I am not and will never be looking for in a book. I will discuss those things here but since it's in the first 31 pages, I believe I can explain what turned me off and it will not spoil anything critical to the overall plot.
First, what I thought I was getting: Horror/Thriller. Abandoned and creepy amusement park with an alleged nefarious history to it's name. An alluded to established final girl participating in a week long game of Hide And Seek inside said amusement park. Our very own, down-on-her-luck main character only signing up for the contest with a hefty prize money purse out of desperation and really no other choice. But things head down an entirely gruesome path that our main character has had some experience with in her past. So now, instead of playing for the money, these characters hope to win by just still being alive at the end of this.
Come on, that sounds just like something I would be giving 5 Stars to and wishing I could read it over and over again for the first time. I use to never read new releases when I first got my hands on them. But I couldn't wait for this book to be delivered to me. I was so freaking hyped for it.
Now, what I actually got (in the first 31 pages): Already there were references to woke feminism, stereotypes that shouldn't have been there if this book is doing what I believe it was aiming to do (because hypocrisy much), someone losing their common sense over gender assumptions/complaining because someone inquired about their gender. These same characters that complained, had also already been assuming and making commentary on another character’s sexuality out of earshot from that character. Basing their assumptions on the most minute and ridiculous things. Yet, they get to throw out “they don’t owe you their gender.” WhAt?! Pick a lane because I cannot with being a hypocrite. But the moment I closed this book was 1.5 seconds after reading about the obvious dig at Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. I know, I know. It's fiction, you're a crazy right wing conservative, etc. Bite. Me. Because I wasn't paying as much attention to that facet of politics as I should have been when everything with his trial/confirmation was going on. Yet, I remember thinking and saying, if that man has done a fraction of what he's being accused of then he absolutely does not deserve to be appointed as Supreme Court Justice. I was still naively following along with "believe all women." It was just after this that I started paying more attention and forming my own opinions, instead of letting the media tell me what I believed.
If you're like me and have been around reading and taking part in various online book communities for a long period of time, then you've likely noticed several different shifts in the stories we're given in this day and age. The book community demanded more diverse books. Alright, cool. I have loved a many M/M romances. I got that people that aren't like me wanted to see characters that reminded them of themselves and their experiences. I was totally on board, as clearly the authors were as well. Because it suddenly became a super saturated market of queer books. Then readers/consumers decided to move the goal posts. No longer were they happy with seeing a more adequate representation of characters that they shared some of the same lived experiences with. Oh no, now.. NOW! Anyone that defines themselves as anything other than what these fictional characters are were not welcome. It had to be "own voices." Now, I honestly don't give two crackers if every character in a book is queer. But demanding something then getting your way, getting that said something, was no longer good enough. If you haven't lived the same experiences as those characters you're writing then you are cancelled. You are not welcome anymore. You’re the problem. How dare they, right?? The nerve of these authors for listening and delivering on these things that people were screaming for. So they lost me there. I'm fairly certain every science fiction writer with a book on the market hasn't actually been to outer space. I find it highly unlikely that horror writers have all been through messed up and terrifying ordeals you find on the pages between their covers. I seriously doubt all of these fantasy romance writers have been to the Seelie Court. Yet, they are still allowed to bring those stories to you with no one wagging their fingers at them and saying, "shame on you." So, someone please make it, make sense. Actually, scratch that. I said what I said and it makes perfect sense to me and I don't need anyone to validate my thoughts on the matter or think there is any chance that you could make me see it any differently than I already do. (For me, this also includes authors writing POC rep when they are not POC.) It’s expression. I know there’s some counter arguments that some would make and I’d probably even agree with you to a certain degree. But overwhelmingly for me, authors should get to write what they want, whether we agree with what they’re putting in our hands or not. It’s 100% their story to tell. And it’s 100% a reader’s choice if it’s a story they want to engage with. That’s how that’s supposed to work.
I know, this has been a lot for only having read 31 pages of the book but I think it's all worth noting when, something can be said/done in such few pages/paragraphs that alienates and turns a reader off so quickly. ESPECIALLY when it's a reader that couldn't wait to read your story.
Don't get me wrong, as I said, this story is this author's to tell. She has every right to her personal opinions and she damn sure has the right to put whatever she'd like in her story. But for me personally, when I can spot an author's personal biases or recognize their personal political agendas in their works of fictions, I feel preached to, talked at, and it's a complete turn off every single time. There are too many books I want to read for me to waste my time on something that rubs me the wrong way or authors that are trying to push their believed narratives and opinions onto their readers and dressing it up as fiction. I'm just not here for it.
In closing, I want to make it perfectly clear. I do not care if every single character is queer. Do it. If the synopsis sounds promising then I am going to pick it up and read it and if it's good then I'm going to love it and give it all the stars. This isn't about anti queerness. I'd just prefer if it wasn't something that writers use as plot points. I feel much the same way about romance books with female main characters that are anything bigger than skinny. It bothers me that one of their characteristic traits then becomes her size and weight when they're not a slim person. What is so hard about just having a bigger sized female love interest whose weight is only mentioned the once when a writer is giving you things to visualize. And I find it absolutely disgusting that in almost all of those instances, the male love interest falls for her because of her size, or is "in to" thicker/bigger women. Like, why can't he just fall for her because she's wickedly funny or so smart and confident that he can't help but think to himself, I HAVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS WOMAN because she seems so fascinating.?
So that's it. That's my rant. I need authors to stop trying to make their points by preaching to readers that just picked up your book because they wanted to be entertained. Instead, we just get whatever hot button topic is currently trending shoved down our throats.
Oh well.
DNF At Page 31.
I saw this book and read it's synopsis and immediately preordered this. Then I noticed early ratings were pointing in the direction of this not living up to expectations. Still, that premise had me sold on deciding for myself. It actually still does. This book may have had every single thing I love about books of this nature and maybe even some things I didn't know I would love until I read them here.
But in 31 pages, I KNOW it had a lot of things I am not and will never be looking for in a book. I will discuss those things here but since it's in the first 31 pages, I believe I can explain what turned me off and it will not spoil anything critical to the overall plot.
First, what I thought I was getting: Horror/Thriller. Abandoned and creepy amusement park with an alleged nefarious history to it's name. An alluded to established final girl participating in a week long game of Hide And Seek inside said amusement park. Our very own, down-on-her-luck main character only signing up for the contest with a hefty prize money purse out of desperation and really no other choice. But things head down an entirely gruesome path that our main character has had some experience with in her past. So now, instead of playing for the money, these characters hope to win by just still being alive at the end of this.
Come on, that sounds just like something I would be giving 5 Stars to and wishing I could read it over and over again for the first time. I use to never read new releases when I first got my hands on them. But I couldn't wait for this book to be delivered to me. I was so freaking hyped for it.
Now, what I actually got (in the first 31 pages): Already there were references to woke feminism, stereotypes that shouldn't have been there if this book is doing what I believe it was aiming to do (because hypocrisy much), someone losing their common sense over gender assumptions/complaining because someone inquired about their gender. These same characters that complained, had also already been assuming and making commentary on another character’s sexuality out of earshot from that character. Basing their assumptions on the most minute and ridiculous things. Yet, they get to throw out “they don’t owe you their gender.” WhAt?! Pick a lane because I cannot with being a hypocrite. But the moment I closed this book was 1.5 seconds after reading about the obvious dig at Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. I know, I know. It's fiction, you're a crazy right wing conservative, etc. Bite. Me. Because I wasn't paying as much attention to that facet of politics as I should have been when everything with his trial/confirmation was going on. Yet, I remember thinking and saying, if that man has done a fraction of what he's being accused of then he absolutely does not deserve to be appointed as Supreme Court Justice. I was still naively following along with "believe all women." It was just after this that I started paying more attention and forming my own opinions, instead of letting the media tell me what I believed.
If you're like me and have been around reading and taking part in various online book communities for a long period of time, then you've likely noticed several different shifts in the stories we're given in this day and age. The book community demanded more diverse books. Alright, cool. I have loved a many M/M romances. I got that people that aren't like me wanted to see characters that reminded them of themselves and their experiences. I was totally on board, as clearly the authors were as well. Because it suddenly became a super saturated market of queer books. Then readers/consumers decided to move the goal posts. No longer were they happy with seeing a more adequate representation of characters that they shared some of the same lived experiences with. Oh no, now.. NOW! Anyone that defines themselves as anything other than what these fictional characters are were not welcome. It had to be "own voices." Now, I honestly don't give two crackers if every character in a book is queer. But demanding something then getting your way, getting that said something, was no longer good enough. If you haven't lived the same experiences as those characters you're writing then you are cancelled. You are not welcome anymore. You’re the problem. How dare they, right?? The nerve of these authors for listening and delivering on these things that people were screaming for. So they lost me there. I'm fairly certain every science fiction writer with a book on the market hasn't actually been to outer space. I find it highly unlikely that horror writers have all been through messed up and terrifying ordeals you find on the pages between their covers. I seriously doubt all of these fantasy romance writers have been to the Seelie Court. Yet, they are still allowed to bring those stories to you with no one wagging their fingers at them and saying, "shame on you." So, someone please make it, make sense. Actually, scratch that. I said what I said and it makes perfect sense to me and I don't need anyone to validate my thoughts on the matter or think there is any chance that you could make me see it any differently than I already do. (For me, this also includes authors writing POC rep when they are not POC.) It’s expression. I know there’s some counter arguments that some would make and I’d probably even agree with you to a certain degree. But overwhelmingly for me, authors should get to write what they want, whether we agree with what they’re putting in our hands or not. It’s 100% their story to tell. And it’s 100% a reader’s choice if it’s a story they want to engage with. That’s how that’s supposed to work.
I know, this has been a lot for only having read 31 pages of the book but I think it's all worth noting when, something can be said/done in such few pages/paragraphs that alienates and turns a reader off so quickly. ESPECIALLY when it's a reader that couldn't wait to read your story.
Don't get me wrong, as I said, this story is this author's to tell. She has every right to her personal opinions and she damn sure has the right to put whatever she'd like in her story. But for me personally, when I can spot an author's personal biases or recognize their personal political agendas in their works of fictions, I feel preached to, talked at, and it's a complete turn off every single time. There are too many books I want to read for me to waste my time on something that rubs me the wrong way or authors that are trying to push their believed narratives and opinions onto their readers and dressing it up as fiction. I'm just not here for it.
In closing, I want to make it perfectly clear. I do not care if every single character is queer. Do it. If the synopsis sounds promising then I am going to pick it up and read it and if it's good then I'm going to love it and give it all the stars. This isn't about anti queerness. I'd just prefer if it wasn't something that writers use as plot points. I feel much the same way about romance books with female main characters that are anything bigger than skinny. It bothers me that one of their characteristic traits then becomes her size and weight when they're not a slim person. What is so hard about just having a bigger sized female love interest whose weight is only mentioned the once when a writer is giving you things to visualize. And I find it absolutely disgusting that in almost all of those instances, the male love interest falls for her because of her size, or is "in to" thicker/bigger women. Like, why can't he just fall for her because she's wickedly funny or so smart and confident that he can't help but think to himself, I HAVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS WOMAN because she seems so fascinating.?
So that's it. That's my rant. I need authors to stop trying to make their points by preaching to readers that just picked up your book because they wanted to be entertained. Instead, we just get whatever hot button topic is currently trending shoved down our throats.
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